Surprise
by RavenWolf2089
Summary: Rachel and Puck have a surprise visitor in New York. Set in my Fast Car universe, written because Kimmy77 had a vivid dream and i am her Fic Fairy Godmother :D and added to because of her as well :P
1. Chapter 1

**A/N Ok this is set in my Fast Car universe, I wrote it because of some odd dream that Kimmy_77 had and well I'm still avoiding my paper :D**

**Anyway if you haven't read Fast Car the basic premise is Rachel and Puck ran away to New York and live together :P**

Surprise!

Puck kicked open the door to the apartment he and Rachel had been sharing for just over a year, juggling the bag of groceries Rachel had texted him to pick up on his way home from work and her dress for her Broadway opening next week he called for his girlfriend "Rach get your butt over here and help me"

"Noah...I uh can't" Rachel replied from the sofa "come here when you can though please" as he entered the kitchen through the side door, and placed the grocery bag on the side swiftly unpacking everything and placing it in the fridge and cupboards swiftly.

"That anxious for some Puckerone sexi..."

"Noah!" Rachel screamed from the living room before he could finish his sentence

"Christ what?" Puck yelled as he leaned back to look into the living room and dropping the jar he was carrying in shock at the sight he saw. Rachel was holding onto a sobbing Santana Lopez, both of them sitting sideways on the sofa Rachel looking at her boyfriend of just over a year quizzically as Santana sobbed into her shoulder. "Lopez?" He asked stunned walking into the small living room and sitting down behind his girlfriend "what the hell are you doing here?"

It was a fair question seeing as they hadn't seen Santana Lopez since they had run away from Lima a little over a year ago, they also hadn't heard from her, or anyone from glee for that matter. Now they had both earned the GED's, Puck was halfway through his application to the New York Fire Department while still working at the coffee shop until he turned eighteen and could officially join in January, while Rachel after her rousing success at a few off Broadway plays had her opening her first Broadway play next week as a secondary lead in Chicago and Velma's understudy.

"I...I...I" Santana stammered looking up at Puck with tears running down her face, her complexion splotchy, seeing Puck's both concerned and slightly disgusted face she fell back into Rachel's shoulder and began to cry again.

Rachel looked at Puck in shock as she held Santana close, rubbing soothing circles into her back as she cried herself into exhaustion.

"Ok...I'm going to go cook dinner" Puck said awkwardly, he hated girls crying, he only stood Rachel crying because he loved her, leaving his ex in the hands of his current girlfriend reluctantly he went to the kitchen and let the girls talk.

"Santana?" Rachel asked hesitantly sitting back and looking down at the crying girl "can you tell me why you are here now?" she asked gently. About half an hour ago she had opened her front door expecting to see Puck weighed down with groceries, instead a sobbing Santana had thrown herself into Rachel's arms and hadn't stopped since, only letting herself be manoeuvred onto the sofa before clinging to Rachel again.

Santana shook her head and leant back onto Rachel still crying hysterically, Puck glanced back out of the kitchen door, with a what the fuck expression on his face but he met his girlfriends confused expression, her shrugging one of her shoulders at him.

"Ok then Sweetie, so why don't you get some sleep, because quite frankly you look exhausted and everything will be better in the morning and I have a day off and I can show you New York and you can tell me everything ok?"

Santana dumbly nodded her head and sat back as Rachel gently pushed her away and got up walking into her and Puck's room to find a blankets and pillows for their sudden guest, glad it was only October and not to cold yet she grabbed two blankets for the sad Latina and carried them out to the living room with a towel.

"Ok Sweetie, here are some clothes to get into why don't you go grab a shower while I set up your bed"

Santana nodded and reluctantly got up, picking up her small bag and Rachel's offered clothes to shuffle into the bathroom.

"What the hell is she doing here!" Puck whispered shouted as the water turned on and Rachel appeared in the doorway.

"I don't know, she just turned up!" Rachel said in shock boosting herself up on the counter next to him, leaning over to steal a kiss and a some carrot from the chopping board "but she seems really beaten up and in considerable emotional distress"

"I never thought I would see the day Lopez crying" Puck agreed as the water shut off and the door opened, Santana rubbing at her hair with a towel covered in one of Rachel's large t-shirts and a pair of pyjama trousers. "Lopez you want some food?" Puck asked poking his head out of the kitchen at the Latina who was shivering a little at the window.

Rubbing at her arms Santana turned to him with a slight smile "yes please" she said quietly "didn't know you can cook" she said, surprisingly not maliciously, coming to join the couple.

"Had to learn" Puck shrugged "when you are living on your own you have to"

"You just left, you were there until lunch and then you were gone, before we knew it months had passed and no one had heard from you"

"We had to leave" Rachel said swinging her legs and stealing another vegetable, laughing at Puck tapped her with the edge of his knife and scowled playfully at her, leaning over she stole another kiss and sat back "so we did, and we don't regret it"

"Nope" Puck said popping the p, "not at all, we are all good" he smiled at Rachel "so why you hear Lopez?" he asked putting the casserole in the oven and turning back to Santana who was sitting on the small table Rachel had put in the corner. Puck twisted the oven timer and moved in between Rachel's legs his back to her, both of them looking at Santana.

"I'm pregnant" she breathed out in a whoosh, her face falling in relief at finally telling her secret to someone.

"What?" Puck said in shock, knowing how careful Santana was about birth control.

"No darling that is the wrong question" Rachel shook her head "who's the father?"

"Finn" Santana whispered again before bursting into tears again, Rachel slipping off the counter hurried to her side, as Puck blanched in surprise "for the last year he keeps...he keeps coming to me every time he and Quinn have a problem...and he always says that he will choose me this time...b...b..."

"But he runs back to Quinn" Rachel said gently, hugging her around her shoulders and accepting the towel Puck was handing to her for Santana to blot her eyes.

"I just thought...the one person who always knew how to deal with everything was you Rachel, and as much as I didn't respect it then...when I have my own problem I just needed you to help me...and...and...and I know I don't deserve it but please..."

"Of course we will help you" Rachel assured her "as long as you need to you have a place here, tomorrow we will start making a plan ok?"

Santana nodded in relief and clung to her lifeline in Rachel, thankful that she hadn't been wrong in her snap decision to come to New York, with nothing but her school backpack, after dinner and setting Santana up on the sofa the couple retired to their room.

"Do we seriously have Santana Lopez sleeping on our couch?" Puck asked as he rolled over and wrapped an arm around Rachel's waist.

"Apparently" Rachel said leaning over to turn off the light "but she needs us, when you were in the bathroom she told me that she was three months and still hasn't been to the doctors"

"Fuck..." Puck breathed "ok we'll help her" he pressed a kiss to her neck "or rather you will cos I have work all day"

"Nice excuse" Rachel laughed.

Gleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

"Hey Lopez" Puck greeted as he opened the door a week later.

"Hi Puck" Santana replied wailing a little from the sofa where she was crying into a tub of ice cream

"Uh what's wrong?" he asked hesitantly, seeing as Santana had been the one crying on and off for the last seven days.

"I'm fat and I'm pregnant and I'm..." Santana sobbed

"Lopez can I ask a blunt question?" Puck said perching on the coffee table, waiting for her to nod "does Finn know?"

Santana nodded again taking another bite of her ice cream and staring to cry again.

Pissed at his ex best friend for once again Puck got to his feet and grabbed Santana's phone from the side table and marched into his bedroom, scrolling through the contacts to Finn and pressing call.

"San why are you calling me? You know I'm with Quinn" Finn snapped as he answered.

"Hudson in No..Puck" Puck yelled "and I don't give a flying fuck that you are with Quinn, you were an idiot for taking her back again anyway"

"Puck? Dude I haven't heard from you in over a year"

"Yeah and there is a reason for that" Puck snapped "mind telling me why I have a pregnant Santana Lopez sleeping on my couch?"

"What?"

"Yep I got a preggers Santana on my couch and you are the baby daddy this time so you better fucking step up and get your arse here to New York now!" Puck ordered down the phone "and if you so much as say one thing about Quinn I swear to god..."

Rachel walked in as he was yelling at Finn and snatched the phone out of his hand "Finn if you do not come to New York within the next three weeks I will be informing the courts that you are derelict father and therefore the police will be after you for monetary compensation" she snapped before tossing the phone back to Puck who was looking at her with pride.

"Get your arse here Hudson" he ordered one more time before hanging up.

Sitting down on the bed puck caught Rachel to him and tugged her in between his legs, pulling her down to perch on one of his knees "I miss having this place to ourselves"

"She needs us" Rachel smoothed a hand over his shaven head "but Liz is coming over to take her out because I have to sleep before my opening on Saturday"

"Sleep?" he smirked

"Well I need to be relaxed first" Rachel smiled at him as someone knocked on the front door and Santana greet Liz before leaving with a shouted goodbye.

"Relaxing I can do" Puck smirked pulling her over his lap and rolling them back "plus annoying the neighbours"

Gleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

A week later, after rave reviews for Rachel's portrayal of the murderous Velma Kelly, after opening day reviews had made the original actress leave in a huff, being snapped up for Mamma Mia instead, the three of them were celebrating on Rachel's one day off with all of their friends, when Santana's phone went off.

"Finn just texted me" she squeaked, her face paling as much as it could considering her colouring, Dean knowing about her pregnancy slipped an arm around her and eased her down into a bench in Central park where they were walking.

"Where is he hun?" Dean asked gently

"Grand Central, he wants to know where we are" she replied numbly, only just accepting her pregnancy she didn't know how to handle seeing the baby father who had walked away when she told him.

"Tell him on the lawn in Central park, he can use a little intelligence and finds us on his own" Rachel said sitting down next to Santana on her other side "we are here for you, all you need to tell Finn is that he has to help you with the baby and that if he expects a part in its life he needs to grow up that is all"

"Right that is all" Santana echoed "just telling him he has to help and then I can go home and deal with my parents in person"

"Right..." Rachel said with a grimace at everyone, remembering the anxious phone call home that Santana had made her second day in New York "ok so they weren't thrilled but they do care enough to want you home and to look after you"

"You will stay in touch this time right?" Santana asked grabbing Rachel's hand and squeezing tight her eyes filling with tears again.

"Only with you" she cautioned "but yes I will stay in touch with you" Rachel hugged her friend as they waited for Finn who arrived a little while later, coming up to the group shuffling awkwardly.

"Hey Rachel, hey Puck"

"And oh I don't know hello Santana, I'm so sorry that I left you alone to deal with my child that is causing you to throw up multiple time a day and that I have messed you about so much in my love life that you felt the need to run away to New York to find people I haven't talked to in a year" Rachel snapped holding Santana who was crying at her lack of hello.

"Yeah, uh hi San" Finn said awkwardly "how...how are you?" he refused to look at Santana, who's whimpered and buried her head into Rachel's shoulder crying again.

Pissed Puck grabbed Finn's arm and towed him away, before slapping him around the head "what the fuck is wrong with you man?" he screamed "you fucked up now step up an accept it"

"I don't want this, I didn't want this last time, I don't know" Finn moaned

"Should have thought of that before you had sex!"

"Like you are one to talk" Finn scoffed "you stick it in to anything that moves"

"Not anymore, one women kind of guy" Puck said with pride glancing over at Rachel "ad I stepped up and accepted my mis...my daughter, you need to do the same. And quite frankly I want Rachel's arms around me not Santana"

"I don't know if I want to be with her, things with Quinn are good right now"

"Yeah and? Give it a few days and it will be bad again...look dude you don't have to be with Santana to support her, trust me I know that, but you need to stop being a dick and actually treat her with respect, because right now she is carrying your child"

Finn nodded reluctantly and walked back to the group to pull Santana away and have a quiet conversation, his entire profile showing that he was apologising to the pregnant teenager. The two came back a little later and Santana immediately ran into Rachel's arms "thank you" she whispered.

"You're welcome" Rachel said with a smile, as Puck pulled Finn aside again

"Dude, you fuck up and I swear I will kill you" he muttered "and don't think just cos you heard from me and Rachel that you can run home and tell everyone where we are, we don't want anyone here ok?"

"Dude, you and Rachel are serious?" asked Finn with unsurprising jealousy

"Yep, she's mine, now go home and look after Santana because I will find out if you don't"

"I will" Finn promised "look after Rachel"

"Dude I have been for a year already, so stop trying to make me feel bad, now if you don't mind I'm going to go and reclaim my successful on Broadway, hot as fuck girlfriend and take her home, to annoy the neighbours and make her scream my name"


	2. Chapter 2

Surprise 2

"I'll talk to him tonight I promise" Rachel said for the fifth time as she paced her and Puck's small one bedroom apartment on the numbered streets off Lexington "San I'm sorry but I can't make this decision without him"

"But I need you" San cried down the phone from Lima "you are my best friend and I need you"

"San we ran away from Lima together and we need to make the decision to return together, it doesn't exactly hold happy memories for us"

"Well why can't you ask him now?" Santana said sullenly, her pregnancy hormones obviously in full effect.

"Because he is at the station on call" Rachel said as patiently as she could she looked at her watch and hurried to her bedroom, now a pro at getting ready while on the phone to Santana who called her every day.

"How is Fireman Puckerman?"

"Gorgeous" came Rachel's muffled reply through the phone as she pulled a shirt on "you thought he had guns before, but wow!"

"And you are making the most of them aren't you?" Santana said slyly, Rachel hearing the smirk down the phone.

"Yes I am" Rachel replied without embarrassment , almost two years of dating a sex god had changed her view towards sex, and really her boyfriend was very buff now, more so than he had been when he had been playing football, and she was enjoying that.

"Girl I am so jealous, Finn is still mooning over Quinn, and no one wants a girl that is about to pop and my hormones are everywhere"

"Aww poor thing, not long now though" Rachel reassured her pulling on her sneakers to head for the theatre "and I promise I will try and talk Noah into coming to Lima, now is there anything else?"

"That's code for I have to get to the theatre" San said sadly

"I'm sorry, bit I do have a show"

"You always have a show"

"Well yes, I do have eight shows a week" Rachel said for the millionth time "hun I will call you as soon as I have talked to Noah"

"Ok bye, I miss you!"

"Miss you too" Rachel said closing her phone and grabbing her backpack with nicer clothing for later on at the stage door, and heading towards the theatre where she was still playing Velma Kelly, but now had an agent who had set up an audition to play Elphaba in Wicked last week and she waiting on the call.

After another standing ovation, despite the midweek performance, Rachel dressed in a designer pair of jeans and a nice top, before exiting via the stage door and signing autographs for the people waiting there. Puck watched her with pride as she talked to every person the same, with respect and a quiet dignity, she knew she was the best on stage but didn't feel the need to rub it in her cast mate's faces or her fans, he smiled as her as she spotted him and her smile grew, signing the last few autographs she headed for his side, jumping in his arms she giggled as he swung her around.

"Hello" she said breathily as her legs went around his waist, taking in his tight FDNY blue t shirt and fitted jeans that hung alluringly off his narrow hips "I wasn't expecting you to be here"

"Thought I would surprise my girl" Puck said helping her on to her feet, smiling sympathetically as she winced being placed onto her dolly shoe encased feet, her feet always hurt after a show, dancing in four inch heels.

"And..." Rachel continued arching her eyebrow at him, knowing he was hiding something, as she led him to the cab that always waited for her outside the theatre.

"And you left your phone at home and Santana has called twelve times and the one time I finally answered she made me promise we would be in Lima by next week at the latest"

Rachel laughed again "how did she manage that? I swear I thought it would take a lot of me begging and trying to convince you in my own special way"

"Her pregnancy hormones are making her scarier" Puck shivered as they sat back against the cab seats "but you can still convince me if you want" he said huskily, nuzzling into her neck and lightly tugging on her ear lobe.

Five days later they were landing in Ohio, having decided to fly to rather than drive so they didn't have to take the truck out of parking and tax it and insure it.

"I'm glad we are earning more now" Rachel said stretching in the rental cars passenger seat as puck headed north towards Lima "no need to worry about staying in a hotel, or paying for flights"

"Or multiple jobs" Puck finished looking over at Rachel, remembering how tired she had been when she had been working two jobs "so does Santana have a plan? I haven't really talked to her since she left with Hudson six months ago"

"Giving up for adoption" Rachel said sadly "she doesn't want to, but her parents insisted if they were going to support her pregnancy, and also pay for college in New York, she finds getting out of Lima more important than making a kids life difficult right now"

"She is moving to New York?" Puck said in trepidation, imaging how annoying Rachel and Santana were on the phone and multiplying it by twenty. Rachel knowing exactly what he was thinking laughed again, and closed her eyes, falling into a sleep that lasted until Puck carried her up to their hotel room, content to carry her in his arms, after checking them in while she slept and giving the bell boy the bag.

Rachel woke lazily as he placed her on the bed, and lay down next to her "hey" he said gently, brushing her hair out her face.

"I am so lazy" Rachel moaned.

"You work hard baby it's allowed, and I like carrying you through hotel lobby's it make me look badass"

Rachel rolled her eyes and stretched again, her stomach rumbling "hungry" she pouted, laughing as Puck rolled his own eyes in resignation and climbed to his feet helping her to her own.

"Ok let me take you for food" he agreed, truthfully they both hated being in Lima, but they couldn't help but want to see it, they didn't miss the town, or the people, but they wanted to see what they weren't missing, and didn't want to miss the opportunity to rub into those people who doubted them faces how far they had come.

"Where you taking me?" Rachel asked finding her shoes.

"Going to go classic Lima, Breadsticks" Puck smirked, knowing that they would see some people they knew there. Rachel knowing exactly what her was thinking grabbed her purse and his hand as he led her out of the hotel and down town to the restaurant where they were sat in minutes.

Rachel slid in opposite her boyfriend who grabbed her hands across the table as he glanced around the restaurant and saw Finn sitting with Kurt and his parents, and more worryingly his mom and dad sitting only one table over.

"Noah?" Rachel whispered as his hands tightened around hers, not answering her angled his head towards the table, and saw Rachel's eyes widen as she recognised the Puckerman's, Puck had been fine seeing people he went to high school with, not his parents, who had just spotted him.

"Noah?" his mom Eden breathed out in shock, his father's head snapping up to look at where his wife was looking.

"Eden, John" Puck said shortly turning away from them and leaning over the table to kiss Rachel firmly, vaguely hearing his mom pull out her phone and call Rachel's parents "she's calling your dads" he muttered against her lips.

"Have to get it out the way one day" Rachel shrugged "and just to give you something to look forward to after all this, I brought your favourite lingerie set"

Puck's smile immediately grew across his face as he backed up and ordered for him and Rachel with the hovering waitress, trying to ignore his parents who were still staring at them, it was ten minutes later when the doors burst open that they knew hell was going to descend on them.

Just taking a bite of her three cheese ravioli Rachel choked a little as a hand descend on to the table and smacked it loudly making everything jump, taking a sip of water she glared up at her father "I was eating then"

"We haven't heard you from you in a year and half and that's all you have to say?" Hiram said loudly silencing the restaurant, Noah parents joining them.

"Don't" Rachel ordered "don't even pretend you care that I left"

"And don't you two either" Puck added "seeing as this is the only time we have talked since we left you don't get to say a word about us leaving"

"We tried..."

"No you didn't" Rachel shook her head "you didn't try at all"

"And we don't expect you too, after almost two years of not having you in our lives we are fine with you staying that way, and John you lost all right to even talk to me when you walked out ten years ago"

"So what you are just going to waste away working menial jobs wherever you are?" Leroy said scornfully.

"Actually we both have GEDS, I am currently performing as Velma Kelly of Broadway, and Noah is a New York Firemen, so yes look down your nose at us as much as you want, but we don't really care" Rachel said pushing past Eden as she got out of the booth, and Puck did the same, taking his girlfriends hand.

"We don't need you" Puck said gleefully "we really never did" the couple left the restaurant quickly as walked back towards the hotel "well wasn't expecting that"

"Me either" Rachel sighed as her phone rang in her pocket, pulling it out she answered it without fear as no one but Santana in Lima had this number. "hello?" she answered "oh...ok...ok we are on our way" she hung up and turned to Puck "looks like we will be home in less than 2 days"

Puck looked at her quizzically as she towed him the other way towards the hospital.

"Santana is in labour" she explained as they headed towards the hospital as quickly as they could, hurrying in and up to the maternity ward, heading towards where the Spanish swearing was coming.

"Rachel!" Santana screamed as Rachel entered the room "seems like my baby wants to come quickly" she added panting through the next contraction "I've only been in labour half an hour and I'm five centimetres"

"Always an overachiever" Rachel smiled at Santana's mom and headed towards her friends side, Puck just behind her.

"You called Hudson?" he asked as Rachel had her hand grabbed and she winced as Santana crushed it, Santana nodded breathlessly as she continued to have contractions, the doctors bustling in and out to prepare her for delivery, Finn turning up newly single as Quinn refused to have anything to do with him now that the baby was coming. An hour later she was rushed to delivery and within twenty minutes gave birth to a beautiful baby boy.

"He's gorgeous" Rachel murmured from next to Puck, both of them staring in awe at the little boy.

"I know he will be gone by tomorrow, but would you be his godparents?" Santana asked wearily from the bed, smiling up at Finn who was stroking her hair.

"We would be honoured" Puck said looking up, he knew that they teenagers in front of him had a long way to go but he thought one day they would make it, he always found it funny the way he viewed him and Rachel as adults, but Santana at the same age was a teenager. After saying goodbye to the little boy they would always love, and promising to visit Santana the next day before they flew back to New York, the couple left again and headed out into Lima again.

"Come on" Puck said gruffly heading in the opposite direction to the hotel.

Rachel followed without complaint as he threw his arm around her "that really made up for having to come back to Lima" she sighed again as he led her towards the high school "but why you are taking me to McKinley I don't know" she added looking up at him, not entirely trusting the smile playing on his lips.

He pushed her towards the bleachers without saying anything "I have planned this for a while" he finally said pushing her down on 'their' spot "just stay here I will be back in ten minutes" he promised before bolting off. Rachel rolled her eyes again and pulled out her phone to surf the web as she waited for him, raising her head as she heard him approaching only five minutes later with tow slushie cups, making her laugh again.

"Right before I give you this I need to tell you something" Puck said nervously still standing in front of her "I love you" he blurted out "I love your laugh, and I love how in the morning your hair is all over the place and you still look cute, and that I can crawl home after a long shift and you have been at the play all day and you still cook for me and fuss over me. And I love that you asked me to run away with you in the first place, and I just...I have been planning this for a long time and I watched you today with that little boy and one day I want the same for us so..."

He knelt down on one knee in front of her and handed her a grape slushie with a cup that had Marry Me scrawled on the lid, and a white gold single diamond ring around the straw.

"Oh Noah" Rachel said in shock taking the drink and sliding off the ring "do I have to put it on myself?"

"No I can do that" Puck said with a smile taking the ring "but you have to answer first"

"Of course I will marry you" Rachel said crying as he slid the ring onto her finger and leaned forward to kiss her in relief.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N wow this is like so bad, but Kimmy asked for it so it so I thought what the hell! I promise better stories soon!**

Surprise 3

Puck dropped the box with a grunt and glared at his fiancée and her best friend who were sitting on the sofa he and Dean had carried up earlier "you know help would be useful" he growled

"Thank you so much for helping" Santana said brightly before turning back to Rachel and gushing over the magazine they were reading intently.

Puck and Dean looked at each other and scowled before heading back out of the tiny studio apartment Santana had rented for her first year at New York University, downstairs her parents were talking to a police officer who was trying to move the car now that it only had a few boxes in it.

"Oh no see the boys are here to carry the last few boxes up" Mrs Lopez said with a bright smile at the two beat officers who smiled back in resignation as the boys picked up the last of the boxes and Mr Lopez finally helped them "now that the car is empty can you tell little old me where I can park long term?" she flirted shamelessly.

"Now I know where Lopez gets it" Puck grunted as he carried what felt like a box of rocks upstairs.

"Huh?" Dean grunted in reply

"The flirting to get what she wants" Puck replied as they rounded the second flight of stairs glaring Mr Lopez hurrying ahead with his light box of pillows, their boxes to heavy to talk more they stumbled up the stairs into the apartment they had spent all day filling with boxes. After dumping their boxes they huddled around the girls, Puck pulling his fiancée onto his lap, Dean on the arm of the sofa his arm tossed behind Santana.

"Thanks for all the help in carrying your crap upstairs Lopez" Puck said his arm wrapping around Rachel's waist "and you Rach" he teased tightening his grip so that she looked back and pouted in fake remorse.

"Forgive me?" she said impishly

Puck rolled his eyes and pressed a kiss to her head "always" he whispered both of them lost in each other so much that they forgot the rest of the room.

"Are they always like that?" Santana asked looking up at Dean

"Yep, pretty much, haven't you seen them like that?"

"No, when I visited I was too much of a mess to actually watch them; I've never seen Puck like that"

"They are each other's world; it's how I know that they will work out despite being engaged at eighteen" Dean smiled "me, Liz, Chuck and Jeff we are their family but even we spend a lot of time on the outside looking in"

"What were you reading?" Puck asked resting his chin on Rachel's shoulder and looking down at her lap as she turned the magazine over "Today's Bride, planning something are we?"

"Well I was just looking at some ideas" Rachel said hesitantly

"I like it, I know we haven't set a date yet or anything but I will help you plan our wedding" Rachel looked back at him and smiled again, pressing her lips to his in a sweet kiss, one Santana didn't know he was capable of.

"So what's the plan darling?" Mrs Lopez asked as she returned

"Oh um, me and my friends eating pizza and hanging out" Santana shrugged, hoping her parents would take the hint and leave, her dad nodding at her knowingly and hurried his wife through the goodbyes, which were tearful on the part Mrs Lopez before taking her home.

"So where shall we order pizza from?" Santana asked the New Yorkers who laughed at her worried face

"Oh look out the outer Towner" Dean teased lightly as the intercom went off and she jumped up to answer the door and be swept into a hug by Mike.

"Ahh Mike put me down!" Santana squealed slapping him hard until he put her back on her feet "since when do I hug?" she asked scathingly as Mike looked at her sheepishly and then looking around the room.

"Puck? Rachel?" he yelled before running across the room and jumping on the two stunned adults and crushing them to the floor. "Oh my god I haven't seen you in almost two years! I heard that you came back but you didn't see anyone, but oh my god I missed you guys"

"Dude get off" Puck demanded pushing the Asian off him and Rachel and clambering to his feet, Rachel doing the same before Mike threw himself at her again and hung around her neck.

"I'm sorry it's just I missed you guys" Mike said as he finally got hugged back.

"It's ok" Rachel smiled before gently peeling his arms off her and moving back to Puck's side, but not before Mike grabbed her left hand and studied the ring on her left, before looking up at Puck in awe and pride.

"Duuudeeeee!" he said smiling "Congrats"

"Thanks" Puck smiled "What are you doing here?"

"Got into...oh I'm sorry I'm Mike" he introduced himself to the bemused looking Dean shaking her hand "I just dropped by to see Santana, didn't think I would run into Rachel and Puck as well"

"Dude it's cool, nice to meet you I'm Dean"

"Mike" Rachel protested "where did you get into?"

"Oh you know only this tiny little school called...Julliard" Mike shrugged, before Rachel launched herself at him, hugging him tightly as she gushed over his accomplishment.

"Oh my god that is amazing!" Rachel smiled as she hugged him tight.

"Yeah Mike well done" Puck said slapping his friend on the back, happy to have him back.

"Thanks" Mike said smugly "I got in for dancing"

"Oh yes because that is a surprise" Santana rolled her eyes "Pizza please? I'm hungry"

"Right I'll go grab some" Dean said "give you guy's time to catch up"

"Oh well I saw him only a few days ago so I'll come with you, have to have a local teach me how to be a local"

Dean grinned and nodded "sounds good" he said offering her his arm as they headed out of the apartment, leaving Rachel, Puck and Mike to catch up with two years of everything.

Gleeeeeeeeeeeeee

"So how's the start of school" Puck asked as they tossed a football back and forth on one of the last sunny days in September in Central Park

"It's ok, hardcore hard but I like it, half the day is spent in class the rest in the studio, I like it" Mike said as he tossed the ball back "how's Rachel? Not seen her in days"

"Yeah she is throwing herself into rehearsal for her new show, I've barely seen her" Puck shrugged as they stopped and headed for the coffee stand "what with me working the night shift and her working all day, I only see her as I crawl into bed and an hour later she is getting out, I aint had sex in two weeks!"

"Aww poor Sex Shark" Mike drawled ordering his coffee "come on admit it, you just miss her"

Puck shrugged reluctantly, it was one thing to show people who didn't know him that well how he acted around Rachel it was another for Mike to see it, he still had friends and family back in Lima, people that despite his best efforts still had an effect on him, and he still cared about their opinion of him.

"Puck it's not a bad thing" Mike assured him "You love her and want to marry her; you are allowed to miss her"

"I know, it's just I live with her, I shouldn't miss her"

"When do you get off nights?"

"After tonight, got a two days off and then I am on the day shift for the rest of the month, the chief arranged it that way so I can go see Rachel's opening show, Jeff who joined the Fire Department with me has got the same timetable with me so he can come too"

"I didn't realise that Jeff was a fireman as well" Mike said, thinking of the small guy with glasses that he had met at Rachel's and Puck's.

"Yeah he doesn't go into the fires with us but he works at the station"

"Cool, so will uh Liz be at the show as well? I mean I'm allowed to come as well right?" Mike said trying to sound casual and failing.

"Course you are invited, you're expected to be there, Rach is leaving us all tickets, we have to go, and yes Liz is coming as well"

"Oh cool" Mike said his grin growing, having fallen hard for the tall delicate blonde who was just as shy as he was and hence making it difficult for them to get their act together.

"So you got plans for tonight?" Puck asked "while I'm slaving away in work"

"Not really, I like Julliard it's just everyone...everyone is so, remember how Rachel was in high school? All about being the star and stuff"

"Yeah" Puck said accepting his coffee as they headed away from the coffee stand

"These people are worse, their entire lives are tied up in class, they aren't friends with anyone they are so paranoid, anyway it makes me glad that I have you guys outside"

"So no parties up at your fancy school tonight then"

"Nope" Mike said sadly "I thought college would be full of parties and alcohol and stuff"

"Come hang out at the station tonight if you want" Puck shrugged

"That's allowed?"

"Sure I mean if there is a fire I have to go but you can hang out with Jeff then"

"Cool" Mike shrugged "better than staying in my dorm with my creepy roommate"

Gleeeeeeeeeeeeee

"So this is what you do when there is no fire?" Mike drawled from his perch on the sofa "sit around, eat and play on the Xbox"

"Pretty much" one of the boys shrugged tossing him the controller "not all of us go to a fancy pancy school"

Mike took the gentle ribbing easily, he knew they didn't really mean it because he wasn't acting stuck up and was friends with the Puck, who was no longer the dog's body as there had been a new intake of recruits.

The phone rang and Jeff clambered to his feet and over everyone to answer it "Station 41"

"Yeah sure I'll get him for you now" Jeff said lifting his head "Noah, phone"

Puck got to his feet and clambered over everyone to the phone "Who is it? Rach?"

"Nope, some bloke" Jeff shrugged handing him the phone.

"Noah Puckerman speaking" Puck said brightly hopping up on the side "yep Rachel Berry is my fiancée, why?" he asked slowly his smile falling off his face, his face paled and the phone tumbled from his nerveless fingers as he heard the response over the phone.

"Puck?" asked Mike as Puck's hand clutched at his chest, "dude?" he asked vaulting over the back of the sofa to his side, Jeff on his other side.

"Rac...Rach...Rach" Puck stammered trying to take a breath and failing.

"Take a breath, just relax and take a breath" one of the paramedics instructed as everyone huddled around him in worry, they all knew the petite brunette and how much she meant to Puck, he wasn't the most loquacious of people and tended to hide his feelings. But they didn't need to hear him say it to know what he was feeling, Rachel was his world and if something had happened to her then his reaction was perfectly natural.

Following the instructions Puck tired again, taking a deep breath he tried to wade his way through the storm of panic that had descended over him at the police officers words, Mike picked up the phone that was still squawking just as Puck choked out "Rachel was mugged"

"Hello? Hello Mr Puckerman"

"He's in shock; I'm his friend Mike can you tell me where Rachel is?"

"Miss Berry is at St Luke's, other than a few bumps and bruises she is fine, she just..."

"She wants Puck" Mike finished for him "we'll be there soon"

After saying goodbye he hung up and watched his friend as he struggled to breathe normally "Dude she's ok, just a bit bruised and she wants you"

"Right, ok" Puck said shaking his head clear; Rachel needed him to be strong so he would be strong "Chief?"

"Go son" the Chief insisted as Puck jumped to his feet and hurried out of the station quickly, Mike hot on his heels. They ran across town as quickly as they could, the late night traffic working in their favour as they headed towards Saint Luke's, into the hospital where Rachel was waiting for them.

"Rachel" Puck said in relief as he ran to her side, gathering her close as Mike stopped to talk to the nurse.

"Oh thank god Noah" Rachel said clinging to him and holding him tight, a bruise blossoming across her face the only sign of her mugging.

"What happened?" Puck asked as he pulled her across his lap.

"Someone jumped out at me and hit me in the face, they tried to take my purse but someone yelled and he ran off, it was silly that I was brought to hospital but the man might have broken my jaw and with me opening in only 2 weeks! I just couldn't take the risk"

"Ok baby ok" Puck said, knowing that as she was rambling away she was fine just a little shook up, still holding her he looked up and saw Mike watching them in surprise, this was the first time he had seen it, they were each other's entire world.


	4. Chapter 4

Surprise 4

"How about cream? Or maybe an off white?" Santana suggested thrusting a magazine in Rachel's face and almost knocking over her coffee for the second time.

"You know when you asked if I wanted to relax and have a cup of coffee before my show I really did want to relax" Rachel said wryly closing the magazine and adding it to the growing pile next to her elbow.

"What do you mean?" Santana asked brightly as she flicked through another magazine leaning over to show Rachel a centre piece.

"Argh!" Rachel screamed putting her hands down on the magazine and pushed it down to the table out of Santana's hands "can we just have one cup of coffee without the wedding being mentioned? Please?"

"But it's your wedding!" Santana said shocked

"And I am excited but Noah is my life without the wedding and that's why we aren't in a rush"

"But you said you wanted to start planning!"

"No I said I wanted to start LOOKING!" Rachel clarified looking at her watch "look I have to get to the theatre I'll see you later" angrily pushing herself back from the table she stalked out of the coffee shop and whistled down a cab like a local, leaving Santana with all the magazines she had insisted in buying.

Rolling her eyes at what she thought was her friends dramatics Santana collected the magazines together and headed towards Rachel and Noah's apartment on her way home, knocking on it briskly she entered without waiting for Puck to answer the door, smiling broadly as she found him ambling towards the door in his boxers rubbing a hand over his shaved head in exhaustion.

"If you are just going to lets yourself in, why the fuck do you have to knock?" he complained turning on his heel to head back to bed and finish his nap before meeting Rachel later.

"Well to warn you unless you yanking the sausage of course" Santana drawled "I'm just dropping off these, Rachel left them at the coffee shop"

Puck turned back to her as she handed over the ten or so magazines, grunting in shock at the weight.

"Really Rachel left them? The Rachel that wanted to start looking and already told me that she hated those magazines"

"It's your wedding! Of course she is lying" Santana assured him "you two really need to talk more, this whole relaxed approach is just her trying to make things easier on you" she whispered conspiratorially before leaving.

Puck looked at the closing door and dropped the magazines on the dining room table "I have to start locking that door" he said to himself reaching over to do just that before ambling back to bed scratching his stomach absently.

"So I was thinking of cravats for the men, something really classic" Liz said to the group as they sat around eating a late dinner after Rachel's show. Biting her tongue Rachel reached under the table for Puck's hand who clenched it tightly in his own frustration, ever since Rachel had made a flippant remark to him about perhaps possibly looking into wedding ideas their friends hadn't shut up about it.

"Cravats? No I think ties are better" Mike protested to his ex girlfriend, him and Liz having tried and failed making a relationship work when he was at school almost constantly or working at his new dance company, they were still friends but things were still awkward right now.

"Ties for the groomsmen, cravat for Puck" Santana interjected

"Can we please not talk about the wedding?" Rachel sighed in exasperation, Puck sliding his arm around Rachel in a show of support.

"Yeah guys, I mean there is other stuff going on in our lives, like Jeff is up for promotion to Lieutenant at work"

"And Mike has his first dance exhibition this month" Rachel supplied

"No, no it's fine" Mike insisted "you guys really do need to start planning; you have been engaged for a year now"

"And?" Puck asked rudely "we always wanted a long engagement, Rachel is way too busy at work right now to concentrate on more"

"Not to mention I don't think you realise how difficult it is to plan a wedding without the fathers you always thought would walk you down the aisle" Rachel said angrily picking up her purse and tossing a few bills on the table "that should cover mine and Noah's dinner" she said stiffly before marching out.

"Thanks guys, exactly what I've been trying to avoid" Puck snapped "I know you don't know it personally but not having your family in your life sort of fucking sucks" wishing he hadn't already let them in on his plan as their idea of helping was driving Rachel and him mad. Except for Santana though who really had no idea, as she was completely unable to keep a secret. He got to his own feet pushing back his chair roughly and followed his fiancé out of the restaurant, meeting he where she was waiting for him on the sidewalk.

"Sorry" she muttered rubbing at her arms in the spring air, relaxing as he slid his arm around her and led her towards their apartment.

"Nothing to be sorry about baby, I was just as close as you to snapping at them. It's our wedding"

They continued the rest of their journey in mostly silence, talking about work and avoiding any reference to their family and wedding as they did, Rachel had been approached about doing a TV spot on the never ending Law and Order and she was debating about taking the time off to do the three episodes.

"I think it would be good" Puck insisted as they entered their building "like raising your profile as your agent said"

"I know but even three episodes is about two weeks work away from the show and my understudy is ruthless"

"But your director loves you baby" Puck insisted turning to lock the door and put his keys with hers on the table.

"I hope so" she laughed pulling off her high heels and losing her extra three inches of height, padding around in her bare feet as they went through their night time rituals of showers, locking up and preparing for the next day. Climbing into bed later on Rachel snuggled up to Puck as normal as he reached over and turned off the light with one hand, his other around her shoulders "you know I want to marry you though right?"

"Yeah of course baby, it's got to be difficult for you because I bet you have been planning this since you were like six and now it's going to be nothing like you wanted"

"Noah, it will be because I'm marrying you it's just...I always imagined my father's as distant as they were giving me away, and everyone has so many opinions but never actually pause to hear mine"

"Or mine, I think if I hear one more discussion about how MY suit is going to look I'm going to flip"

"Don't you just wish that we could escape it all? Just go and do it how we want?" Rachel said sleepily her head pressed against his chest, his hand lightly toying with her long hair.

"Well why not?" Puck asked his eyes snapping open "let's just go somewhere and get married like we want not how our friends do"

"What?" asked Rachel pulling herself up to look down at him leaning over to turn the light on, Puck blinking in the harsh light.

"Well we could" he defended "just go on holiday for our honeymoon and get married there"

"Our friends are our family, they will be so hurt if they aren't there" Rachel protested, a little lamely it must be admitted.

"So we have a religious blessing when we get back, go to Synagogue and have a religious blessing but do the actual ceremony as we want"

Rachel bit her lip thinking hard about Puck's suggestion when all she wanted to do was toss things into a suitcase and go now, she was more than ready to become Rachel Puckerman but the constant need of her friends to plan her wedding and her estrangement from her father had made her feel awkward at the idea of a normal ceremony.

"Listen to your heart gorgeous" Puck whispered pressing a hand against her chest, perhaps copping a feel at the same time "ten days, I can get leave quickly, you talk to your director who does love you and we go, tomorrow if we can"

"Go where?" Rachel demanded, she was feeling spontaneous right now, but she couldn't pack for spontaneous.

"I got a plan, go call the director" Puck said leaning over and pressing a kiss against her lips as he pulled out their laptop that always rested against Rachel's side of the bed as she slipped out of the bed to do just that.

"Roger? Sir it's Rachel, I need to ask a favour"

"Sure darling" Rachel's director said straight away, Rachel had never taken a day off in almost two years and was the consummate professional always.

"Me and Noah have got rather frustrated of our friends planning the wedding so we are eloping; I need ten days vacation starting tomorrow if possible"

"Oh of course darling!" the chief agreed easily "I can let Claire step in for a little, as long as we have a party when you get back to celebrate properly"

"Not a problem Roger, we are already planning a blessing we just need to do this for us"

"I know, I'll see you when you get back"

"Thank you Roger" Rachel thanked before saying goodbye and hanging up, returning with a grin in place

"Got the time off then?" Puck asked looking up at her having just called his Chief.

"Yes but we have to have a party when we get back" Rachel laughed climbing up next to him on the bed.

"That's what the chief said" Puck added with a laugh making some clicks on the laptop "now pack for warm weather"

"How warm?"

"Bikinis" Puck clarified waggling his eyebrows suggestively as Rachel pulled out clothes for the both of them. Within two hours they were heading towards the airport having caught a very early flight and made their way through security and waiting for the allotted time, Rachel dozing on his lap as they waited for the flight.

"We should probably tell everyone you know" she said sleepily.

"I left a message on the table and on Santana, Mike and Dean's phone's that's good enough" Puck insisted stroking her hair again, remembering Santana screaming him out when he had actually called her, but heard Dean in the background calming her down so he wasn't too worried.

"Oh and are you telling me where we are going yet?" Rachel added yawning.

"Bahamas"

"You already told me that bit" she moaned as he leaned down to press a kiss to her lips.

"All you need to know" he muttered before kissing her again while she pouted, making him nip at her bottom lip, carrying her onto the plane later on as she had fallen asleep, letting slip that they were off to get married getting them a free upgrade and a little leniency from the cabin staff. A three hour plane ride later they arrived in the warm weather and glorious sunshine of Nassau, Puck swiftly leading his still sleepy fiancé through security and baggage claim to the warm air outside and the car waiting for them from the hotel he had booked, glad that Rachel and him shared an account because he wouldn't have been able to afford it on his own salary alone.

"Noah where are we going?" Rachel begged as they made their way through the capital.

"Not telling" Puck insisted leaning over and nipping her lips again "it's like a five minute drive relax"

"But I want to know!" Rachel whined before being cut off by Puck's lips on her own, her mind clearing off all thought as it always did when he possessed her lips like that. Arriving just like he said within five minutes the driver helped her from the car while the valets got the bags out of the trunk, Rachel finally seeing the grand hotel Puck had booked for them.

"Oh Noah!" she cried recognising it as the Royal Towers, part of the Atlantis Resort that she had been about to visit with her parents three years ago.

"Well I do love you" Puck smirked "and I listen"

"Mister Puckerman?" a concierge approached them "we have everything set up for you like you asked on Palm Point, as well as all the extras who arrived about an hour before you"

"Extras? Noah what is going on?" Rachel asked looking up at him.

"I assume you packed something to get married in?" Puck asked ignoring her question.

"Well yes" she stammered

"Good, then go get ready" Puck said pushing her to go with the concierge "I'll see you in one hour, and then your mine, for life"

Rachel melted again and leaned up to press a kiss to his lips before hurrying away, Puck following another member of staff to get dressed into his own suit and make sure everything and everyone was in place, rushed off his feet to make sure that everything was perfect for Rachel just liked she deserved.

After a whirlwind hour of getting ready herself Rachel found herself standing on the beach in bare feet enjoying the nice warm weather in her white strapless knee length sundress with her hair curling down around shoulders artfully while sand tickled her feet, waiting for the music to start and the curtain in front of her to drop so she could see Noah waiting for her in front of a cleric.

Taking a deep breath and taking in the scent of roses from her bouquet the curtain dropped and while her eyes immediately found Noah's she then gasped as she realised that all her friends were sitting on the chairs on either side of the aisle. Santana (looking a little miffed but still trying to smile), Mike, Jeff, Chuck and Liz were all there, but so was her director and friends from the cast, as well as Puck's Chief and people from the station. All there to see her get married, all of them having travelled to the Bahamas for her and Noah, showing her she didn't need her father's she had all of them instead.

Tears in her eyes she made her way to puck, biting her lip to stop herself from sobbing with happiness at his perfect planning, knowing that she always would have regretted not having them at her wedding. And wondering how he had managed everything in so short a time, instinctively knowing he must have been planning this for a while.

"Thank you" she choked out as she reached him, his hand coming up to brush her tears away with his thumb.

"Anything for you" Puck whispered before turning to the cleric who smiled and started the ceremony, knowing it was mostly for the guests as the couple lost themselves in each other's eyes, only rousing themselves enough to say "I do" before finally hearing the phrase "you may kiss the bride"

Taking his new wife into his arms Puck pulled her close and pressed a hungry kiss to her lips, lifting her up and spinning her around happily as the crowd roared and got to their feet to applaud and whistle for the couple who couldn't let each other go.

"Love you Noah Puckerman"

"Love you Rachel Puckerman"


End file.
